The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-04-28
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The Old and New South.
the NJ .souri Republican

= ON the NJ ssouu Republican.
o It is to be feared that the "new south"
that Orator Grady, of Atlanta, so glow
ingly apostrophized in his famous New
England dinner speech at New York last
November, is less of myth than reality.
The old south was solid structure built
on abstract rights. The statesmen of the
old south, whether of the democrat or
wing school, were believers in the indi
viduality of man, in the right of man to
regulate himself, in the duty of man to
be his own keeper. The men of the old
south were sometimes narrow, but never
fanatical. They chung to slavery because
it was an institution native to them, and
which they firmly believed was guaranteed
to them by the organic law of the land.
But when slavery was abolished by the
verdict of arms they accepted the new
conditions while strenously clinging to the
old beliefs of fundamental democracy.
The statesmen of the old south were
theorists. Generally they were men of
education and property. While the states
men Of the north of conspicuous ability
were mostly professional lawyers, the
public men of the south were mostly agr
culturists, merchants or gentlemen who
trained politicians. They started in life
with the object of becoming statesmen.
They devoted all their time and attention
60 public affairs, and were so circum-
stanced that, during their dominancy, it
was never considered necessary to RECON-
mend public man because of his per-
sonal honesty. But things are changing.
The "new south" is pushing to the front,
and the old south is gradually disappear
ing.
1.-THE 'new south" is new in methods,
manners and principles. The "new south"
of the femboyant Grady means protec-
ton, paternalism and prohibition; means
an imitation of New England, if not sub
serviency TO New England; means a re-
pudiation iu whole or in part of the alb
stract principles of government that
southern leaders SO long cOntended for.
When southern statesmen supported the
pernicious Blair bill it was considered a
heresy. When southern newspap ers like
the Atlanta Constitution, the New Orleans
Times Democrat and the Nashville Union
came out for Randallism and protection
IL was believed that there were sinister
motives inspiring them, and southern
newspapers of proved character, like the
Galveston News, Louisville Courier
Journal and Savannah News SO pointedly
charged. But recent events would seem
to indicate that the organs of the "new
south were making sustaining public
sentiment if they had not such thing be.
hind them when they commenced their
crusade.
Such veteran representative of the
old south as John ii. Reagan, of Texas,
seems to have wheeled aruuud to the
new idea. Mr. Reagan has declared for
prohibition. I his is but the step ping
stone TO an adoption of the other isms
chat southern democracy SO long com
bated. Prohibition is paternalism, SO is
protection. If the right hand is
grasped, why not the left? Two years
ago Mr.. Reagan vigorously opposed
prohibition. If he can surrender one
article of faith, there is nothing to pre-
vent him from going further. 1t will be
remembered that when Mr. Morrison called
up his tariff reform bill during the last
session of the Forty ninth congress, Mr..
Reagan was conveniently taking a bath.
Texas is the most democratic of American
states. It is not merely democratic by a
big majority on election day, but its
people are firmly grounded in the prin
oiples of democracy as laid down by JEFF
ferson and exemplIfed by Jackson and
Tilden. When a Texas democrat like
John a. Reagan turns his back on a fun
damental principle of democracy, it is safe
to say that the new south" is making
hesdway.
New ideas are often attractive. Ambi-
tious men often prefer to be the apostles
of new school, though of doubtful
utility.